Accommodations for students with disabilities

Colleges provide accommodations through a disability services office, and the process starts when you contact that office. This page explains how to make a request, what to bring and how accommodations can work alongside your financial aid.

How college differs from high school

In high school, the school is responsible for identifying students who need support and writing a plan. In college, the student starts the process by contacting the disability services office, which may also be called accessibility or student access services. Section 504 and the Americans with Disabilities Act require colleges to provide reasonable accommodations, and each school runs its own request process.

An old IEP or 504 plan can be useful as part of your documentation, though it does not carry over automatically. The college reviews your request and decides what fits each course.

Making a request

Most offices ask you to fill out an intake form, provide documentation and meet with a staff member. Documentation usually comes from a doctor, psychologist or other licensed professional and describes the condition and how it affects learning, testing or daily campus life. Ask the office what it accepts, since requirements vary and some offices start with your own account.

Once a request is approved, the office usually prepares a letter for each instructor, and you share it at the start of each term. Common accommodations include extra time on exams, a quieter testing room, note-taking support, recorded lectures, materials in accessible formats and flexibility around attendance. Accommodations change how you reach the course goals, while the goals themselves stay the same.

To bring to your first meeting

• Recent documentation from a licensed professional
• Any past IEP or 504 plan
• A list of courses for the term
• Notes on what has helped you before

Housing, dining and campus life

Requests for an accessible room, an emotional support animal or a dietary need often go through housing or dining as well as disability services. These requests can have earlier deadlines than academic ones, so ask about them when you accept your admission offer. Campus transportation and parking can also be adjusted.

If something stops working during the term, contact the disability services office instead of waiting until finals. Staff can talk with instructors, adjust an accommodation or explain the grievance process.

Aid and a reduced course load

A reduced course load can be an approved accommodation, and federal aid is tied to enrollment level. Some aid needs at least half-time enrollment, and Pell Grants are adjusted for part-time study. Talk with the financial aid office before you drop to a lighter load so you know how your offer changes.

If your disability affects your grades or pace, the aid office can take that into account in a Satisfactory Academic Progress appeal. Disability-related costs can also be added to your cost of attendance on request. Your state vocational rehabilitation agency may help with some education costs, and it sets its own rules.